Across Canada, there are many places where off-road and on-road conditions are nearly indistinguishable. This provides a great opportunity to talk about Ride Control upgrades.

Here are some key points to cover:

1. There is a real difference between standard ride control products and upgrades. Compression and rebound control are significantly improved.
2. Talk about packages. Even knowledgeable performance consumers can be tempted to cherry-pick components. A matched system will almost always provide better performance and greater satisfaction.
3. Upgrades aren’t just for the performance market. Contractors and others who use their trucks on worksites or pull trailers will benefit from the added control provided by upgraded shocks and struts.
4. Full-sized pickups like the Ford F150, Dodge Ram, Toyota Tacoma, etc., are well suited to upgrades, but don’t neglect the ¾-ton and 1-ton markets as well.
5. Don’t forget about the Jeeps! Jeep owners are among the most enthusiastic purchasers of ride control upgrades and lift kits. .
6. Use the digital resources – flyers, videos, images – that your supplier(s) have at hand. They will help advance the conversation and help you provide a professional marketing approach.
7. Avoid telling the customer, “Sold a system just like this to your neighbour last week!” Ride control and suspension upgrades are as much about personalization and making something unique as about improving performance.
8. Make sure customers know that upgrading ride control for off-road or track days does not mean a rough ride on the road. Adjustable shocks and progressive-rate springs combine to give customers a vehicle that performs great on the road or off, loaded up, or touring downtown.
9. There are options: customers interested in upgrades have a broad range of options, at a broad range of price points.
10. Stay a step ahead of the competition by keeping a constant eye on new product introductions and emerging technologies. Upgrade customers will often arrive with a head-full of Internet research, so you need to be on your game.

Special thanks to Michael Sype of Tenneco’s Rancho Performance Suspension & Shocks group for his help with this content.